You know those dreamy Instagram photos of families on vacation—kids snuggled in crisp hotel sheets, everyone glowing with rest and happiness? Yeah… that’s not what happened when we kicked off our trip last night.

After a long drive, my husband and I exchanged that smug look as we pulled into the hotel parking lot. All four kids were asleep in the backseat. We thought, this is it—the smoothest transition ever. We pictured gently lifting them from car seats, tucking them into the hotel beds, and tiptoeing into a peaceful evening.

Instead… cue the chaos.

The moment their little feet touched the lobby carpet, our drowsy angels morphed into overstimulated gremlins. Suddenly it was giggles, shrieks, bed-jumping, light-switch flicking, and a full-scale sibling wrestling match. What was supposed to be a five-minute transfer turned into a four-hour midnight silent disco. By 2 a.m., we finally collapsed into bed, kids sprawled sideways like tiny starfish, and I thought, “Omg. What a kickoff to the vacation.”

And here’s the thing—I know we’re not alone.

Why Do Kids Sleep So Badly on Vacation?

Travel sleep is notoriously rough for little ones. New beds, weird noises, different smells, sugar highs, too much screen time in the car, the pure adrenaline of being somewhere new—it’s a perfect storm. Even the best sleepers at home can suddenly act like nocturnal party animals on the road.

How to Survive the Terrible Sleep

Okay, so maybe “restful vacation” is an oxymoron, but here are a few things that help me survive the madness (and keep a sense of humor about it):

Bring comfort from home. A blanket, a stuffy, or a white noise machine can be the difference between “sort of asleep” and “wide awake gremlin hour.” Stick to the steps, not the clock. Even if bedtime is two hours later, keeping your usual bath-book-bed routine helps signal it’s time to wind down. Tag team the nights. If you’ve got a partner, take turns being the “on call” parent. One of you might actually wake up feeling semi-human. Adjust your expectations. Think of vacation sleep like toddler fashion choices—chaotic but survivable.

Reframing the Chaos

Yes, I’m exhausted. Yes, I’m drinking hotel coffee like it’s a lifeline. But when I zoom out, these are the stories that stick. The time the kids threw a four-hour midnight dance party in a hotel room? That’s a core memory right there. Someday I’ll laugh harder than I did in the moment.

Vacations may not give us rest in the traditional sense, but they do give us something better: shared memories, ridiculous stories, and the reminder that family life is messy, loud, and a little magical—even at 2 a.m.

And honestly? After that sleepless kickoff, we ended up having a great day. The kids bounced back with all the energy in the world (as kids somehow do), and we made some truly sweet memories. Fingers crossed we wore them out enough today that tonight brings less of a silent disco and more of a full night’s sleep.

So here’s to the terrible sleep, the midnight gremlins, and the hope that maybe—just maybe—tonight we’ll actually get some rest.